Heller Decision and the Second Amendment

So, we've been getting a lot of comments about the ACLU's stance on the Second Amendment. For those of you who didn't catch our response in the blog comments, here it is again:

The ACLU interprets the Second Amendment as a collective right. Therefore, we disagree with the Supreme Court’s decision in D.C. v. Heller. While the decision is a significant and historic reinterpretation of the right to keep and bear arms, the decision leaves many important questions unanswered that will have to be resolved in future litigation, including what regulations are permissible, and which weapons are embraced by the Second Amendment right that the Court has now recognized.

As always, we welcome your comments.

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wjph2624

I think all of the commenters on this blog, by kool-aid drinking ACLU staff, Suzzane Ito, got it right. If the ACLU can't find the individual right to keep and bear arms in the 2nd ammendment, then they are just typical delusional leftists. To them it seems that the right to self defense, a basic human right, is not one that an individual posseses. They have no trouble finding all types of elaborate "rights" that don't even exist in the constitution and labeling them as "constitutional rights" so matter of factly. Their proclaimed "constitutional right" to kill an unborn human is just one of their fascist stances. Its about time people realize that the ACLU and their logically blind and brainwashed follwers oppose the bill of rights and later individual rights ammendments. Because they don't see them going away any time soon, they have decided to twist them to use them for their extremist anti-freedom agendas to achieve rights for foreign enemies (terrorists), scumbag criminals (child rapists, murderers, etc.), illegal alien criminals, and for "doctors" that kill babies. But if your not a fanatical Muslim, illegal alien, sadistic pedophile, rapist or murderer, then your rights are thrown to the wolves. Look at the torture imposed on Terri Schaivo by their beloved leftist courts, against her will, that inflicted her with severe pain for two weeks before killing her. It was sanctioned by the ACLU because Terri had the "right to die" according to those fascists. If only Terri was some sicko serial killer threatened with painless lethal injection death, she would have had the full resources of the ACLU working to save her life. I challenge ANYBODY from the ACLU to e-mail me and tell me I'm wrong and why. They've never taken me up on this before because they are WRONG and they don't care for the truth.

July 2, 2008

8:34 AM

Navyboy

I have always thought that the ACLU’s stated position on the Second Amendment was based on hypocrisy. To claim to champion the Bill of Rights and then just ignore the amendment you dislike is sad and pathetic.

Previously the ACLU could at least pretend to base its stance on Miller. Now the curtain is parted and the truth is revealed. If the ACLU is going to pick and choose from the Bill of Rights, then what little credibility they held is gone.

July 2, 2008

8:36 AM

wjph2624

I think all of the commenters on this blog, by kool-aid drinking ACLU staff, Suzzane Ito, got it right. If the ACLU can't find the individual right to keep and bear arms in the 2nd ammendment, then they are just typical delusional leftists. To them it seems that the right to self defense, a basic human right, is not one that an individual posseses. They have no trouble finding all types of elaborate "rights" that don't even exist in the constitution and labeling them as "constitutional rights" so matter of factly. Their proclaimed "constitutional right" to kill an unborn human is just one of their fascist stances. Its about time people realize that the ACLU and their logically blind and brainwashed follwers oppose the bill of rights and later individual rights ammendments. Because they don't see them going away any time soon, they have decided to twist them to use them for their extremist anti-freedom agendas to achieve rights for foreign enemies (terrorists), scumbag criminals (child rapists, murderers, etc.), illegal alien criminals, and for "doctors" that kill babies. But if your not a fanatical Muslim, illegal alien, sadistic pedophile, rapist or murderer, then your rights are thrown to the wolves. Look at the torture imposed on Terri Schaivo by their beloved leftist courts, against her will, that inflicted her with severe pain for two weeks before killing her. It was sanctioned by the ACLU because Terri had the "right to die" according to those fascists. If only Terri was some sicko serial killer threatened with painless lethal injection death, she would have had the full resources of the ACLU working to save her life. I challenge ANYBODY from the ACLU to e-mail me and tell me I'm wrong and why. They've never taken me up on this before because they are WRONG and they don't care for the truth. Email is mrmackey797@comcast.net

July 2, 2008

8:37 AM

AntiCitizenOne

Emil Dular

The ACLU's position on the 2nd Amendment, before or after "Heller" should come as NO surprise. After all, a BIG chunck of their funding comes from the Joyce Foundation. You won't see them give up their lattes or limos over something as insignificant as principles.

July 2, 2008

8:44 AM

Chris

Hello,

I am conflicted about the ACLU's position on the Heller case. In the past, I donated to the NRA to protect my individual Second Amendment rights and to the ACLU for everything else. I personally would like the assurance that none of my donations to the ACLU will result in opposition to "the ancient right of self-defense" inherent in the individual right to keep and bear arms before I consider making any further contributions. I think you will have to rely solely on your more politically correct and orthodox donors until then. Sorry.

July 2, 2008

8:50 AM

Carl in Chicago

These are some strong and serious criticisms leveled at the ACLU.

It's abundantly clear that the ACLU's position on the 2A, especially now, defies logic and defies their core mission. Post-Heller, their position on the 2A cannot be reconciled with their core mission. This represents a SERIOUS conundrum for the ACLU.

ACLU simply must realize that something has got to give. They either acknowledge the 2A as protecting an individual civil right, or they fundamentally restructure their core mission.

I cannot help but think there must be (at least) a few on their Board of Directors who will save the organization from the intense embarassment, criticism, and eventual irrelevancy that would result from this current hypocracy. I predict that the ACLU will, just as Sanford Levinson did, eventually accept that "embarassing second amendment" as a meaningful individual civil right, and make it fit within their longstanding core mission.

July 2, 2008

8:50 AM

Gregory Morris

I have to agree with SuperNaut, as well as numerous liberty-minded bloggers. As much as I appreciate all the good work the ACLU has done over the years, I cannot fathom _financially_ supporting an organization who is this hypocritical. The ACLU cannot claim to promote and protect all of my rights, then choose which rights I am worthy of.

Should the ACLU's position on the Second Amendment be changed to sync up with reality, I will happily put an ACLU card in my wallet next to my NRA card.

July 2, 2008

8:55 AM

K-Romulus

Most unfortunate to hear of the ACLU's stance. For the past eight years I have been donating money to the ACLU above the basic annual membership dues. Now that money will go to the NRA Institute for Legislative Action, the division pursuing litigation to enforce the Second Amendment. Previously, my ACLU extra donations matched my NRA life membership installment payments ($100/year, have the checkbook entries to prove it). Now $200/year will go to the NRA. Nice job ACLU! Your action is the equivalent of saying Roe v. Wade was wrongly decided because the 4th Amendment protection from "unreasonable search and seizure" is a "collective right" and protects no individual zone of privacy.

July 2, 2008

8:59 AM

Texas Jack

One more proof that ACLU = Anti Christian Liars Union. You have become an enemy of everything true and good in this country.